UK satellite to offer remote areas internet

A BROADBAND satellite, partly funded by the UK, was launched last night opening a window to the internet for hundreds of thousands of consumers across Europe.

The 120 million Hylas-1 satellite will act as a relay station for broadband traffic, enabling isolated rural communities to connect with the world wide web for the first time. Hylas is the first superfast broadband satellite to be launched outside the US.

Britain has played a major role in the project. The satellite's development was partly funded by the UK Space Agency, and Hylas was designed and built by the space company Astrium UK.

When it is on-stream, between 150,000 and 300,000 consumers at a time will be able to use it to access fast broadband.

Science minister David Willetts said: "Bringing innovative ideas to life requires the right mix of specialist knowledge, public support and opportunity. Hylas is a great example of how strategic investment in space technology can yield benefits for the wider economy."